206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
⚠️ Warning: Viewer Discretion Advised ⚠️ The following section contains detailed information about serial killers, their crimes, and case details. Some content may be disturbing or graphic, including descriptions of violence, criminal behavior, and sensitive subject matter.
Description
See any errors? Let us know!

Edith Murray: The Cleveland Black Widow

Introduction

Edith Murray, also known as the Cleveland Black Widow, was an American woman suspected of fatally poisoning three of her husbands and two of her children for insurance money. Her crimes spanned from 1903 to 1921, and she was later arrested in connection to these deaths in April 1922, but released due to a lack of evidence. She died in 1969.

Suspicious Deaths

  • 1903: Edith Murray's two daughters died after consuming poisonous tablets left unguarded in their Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home. No one was arrested for the deaths, as they were assumed to be accidental.
  • 1919: Edith Murray's third husband, who had a $1,200 insurance policy, died a week after the policy went into effect. He was described as being in good health before his sudden death.
  • May 1919: Edith Murray's fourth husband, a wealthy man, died shortly after their wedding. She collected $5,000 in life insurance from his death.
  • 1921: Edith Murray's fifth husband, John Joseph Murray, died a few weeks after she allegedly told her friend that she "would like to get rid of him" and "give him arsenic." Trace amounts of arsenic were found in his stomach during an autopsy, but she was not arrested due to the physician's claim that he prescribed medicine containing arsenic.

Investigation

After the death of her fourth husband, local police became suspicious of Edith Murray. An autopsy was performed on her late husband, revealing trace amounts of arsenic in his stomach. However, the man's physician claimed he prescribed medicine containing arsenic, so Murray was not arrested. Despite the suspicions, she continued to live a lavish lifestyle, moving into an expensive apartment and buying a new car. ...Read More
Victims
See any mistakes? Let us know!
Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims:
  • John Joseph Murray , Date of Death: 1922
  • Two Daughters , Date of Death: 1903
  • Third Husband , Date of Death: 1919
  • Fourth Husband , Date of Death: 1919-05
  • Killer's Details

    Edith

    Murray

    Pennsylvania, United States

    1969 Pennsylvania, United States

    Female

    White

    The Cleveland Black Widow

    N/A

    Released due to lack of evidence.

    0 - 5

    1903 - 1922

    Pennsylvania (suspected), Ohio (suspected)

    Pittsburgh (PA), Cleveland (OH)

    07/03/2025